1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector with a lever used to reduce the force required for a male-female connection between mating connectors accommodating a wire harness therein and, more particularly, to a connector comprising a lever unit supported on one of the connectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Because a high connecting force is required for connecting multiple terminal connectors accommodating twenty or more terminals therein, a lever is commonly used to reduce the force. One example of such a connector is shown in FIG. 4.
This connector includes a mating plug unit 2 and a receptacle unit 1 having a receptacle space 1a for receiving the plug unit 2 therein. Generally, the receptacle unit 1 has a lever 3 that rotates freely on pins 4 provided on the outside walls thereof. The plug unit 2 has guide pins 5 provided on the outside walls 2a thereof. The guide pins 5 mate with the guide recesses 3a formed in inner side surfaces of the lever 3. When the lever 3 is rotated, the guide recesses 3a drive the guide pins 5 so that the plug unit 2 is moved in either the direction connecting or disconnecting with the receptacle unit 1.
For the mating operation of the plug unit 1 and receptacle unit 2 with the guide pins 5 captured in the guide recesses 3a, the lever 3 is turned clockwise when viewed in FIG. 4. To enable this operation smoothly, the connector is provided with engaging members on the plug unit 1 and the lever 3 such that the starting end 3e of the guide recess 3a on the lever 3 positions in the correct position relative to the guide pins 5 of the receptacle unit 2 to be connected.
Because the lever 3 rotates freely with respect to the pins 4, the starting end 3e of the guide recess 3a is no longer opposite to the guide pin 5 when the lever 3 is accidentally rotated, and the connecting operation for the units 1 and 2 cannot be smoothly completed. Because of this, there was the need to re-rotate the lever 3 counterclockwise to position the starting ends 3e in the correct position again with respect to the guide pins 5. Then, the connecting operation is repeated to engage the plug unit 2 with the receptacle unit 1.
Furthermore, if the locking force of the engaging members is increased so that the lever 3 can not easily rotate accidentally, a strong force is required to rotate the lever 3 and release this lock, and the difficulty for the worker is increased.